Storm Reportedly Won’t Be Part of Marvel’s Original X-MEN Team in MCU Reboot
Marvel Studios may have some unexpected plans for Storm in its upcoming X-Men film, and the powerful mutant might not be joining the team as quickly as fans expect.
A new rumor suggests that Storm will have a major role in the MCU's first X-Men movie, but she won't be part of the original team. Instead, Marvel reportedly plans to introduce the classic lineup from the comics, with Rogue joining them and causing a few problems along the way.
The information comes from insider James Mack, who recently shared several details about the film on X, including the team's rumored roster, Storm's involvement, and a mysterious new character.
According to Mack, Marvel plans to populate the film with plenty of mutants, thanks to Professor Xavier's school. However, the actual X-Men team will be much smaller.
He explained, “And yes, guys, many mutants will appear in the X-MEN movie, but that’s because of the Xavier School. The initial team will consist of the original X-Men, with Rogue as an additional member.”
For Marvel fans, that means we will finally see the original five X-Men together on the big screen: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, and Angel. It's a lineup that Marvel's previous live-action films haven't fully explored, and it could be a cool way to start fresh.
Rogue apparently won't have the smoothest introduction to the team, either. Her story reportedly plays a part in bringing Storm and Kitty Pryde into the action.
Mack shared, “Storm will have a prominent role in the movie, but she won’t be part of the team initially. Rogue will cause some problems and eventually leave the team. Later, Storm and Kitty Pryde will help the team.”
That's an interesting direction for Storm, who has long been one of the most recognizable members of the X-Men. Rather than immediately becoming a core member, she could establish herself as an important character outside the team before eventually joining its ranks.
Kitty Pryde's rumored involvement is also exciting. Known as Shadowcat, she's a fan-favorite mutant with the ability to phase through solid objects. Having her and Storm come to the team's aid could make for a great introduction to both characters.
Mack also mentioned an unfamiliar name that reportedly appears in the script, although he doesn't have any additional information about the character.
“There’s a character in the X-MEN script named Miranda Manuel. I don’t know anything about her. I only heard about this earlier today,” he wrote.
It's unclear who Miranda Manuel is or how the character might fit into the story. The reported approach suggests Marvel could use Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters to introduce a larger mutant community while keeping the main story focused on a smaller group. That would give the studio room to develop additional characters as the franchise moves forward.
Of course, these story details remain rumors, and Marvel hasn't officially confirmed the proposed team lineup or Storm's place in the story.
Still, starting with the original five X-Men before bringing in characters like Storm and Kitty Pryde could be a fun way to build the MCU's mutant corner. Storm deserves a significant role in this franchise, and giving her a story that doesn't immediately revolve around team membership could make her eventual arrival even more satisfying.
As for the cast, the lineup includes Maya Boyd as Storm, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Christopher Abbott as Professor X.
Jake Schreier is attached to direct the film, which is currently scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028.